Winnipeg woman charged in fire that killed N.B. teen

Arrest stuns family

Related Stories

Kenneth Dunn, 19, received burns to nearly his entire body in the fire at this Winnipeg home. ((CBC))

A Winnipeg woman has been arrested in the Maritimes in connection with a house fire in the Manitoba capital that killed a New Brunswick man last month.

The June 29 fire on Lorne Street, in Winnipeg's Point Douglas neighbourhood, killed Kenneth Dunn, 19, and seriously burned his 18-year-old brother, Calvin.

Dunn was the nephew of the home's owner, George Dunn. The teen had been visiting his younger brother in Winnipeg and was staying at his uncle's home.

Dunn was badly burned but managed to walk several blocks before being found by paramedics. He died in hospital.

Suzanne Eckstein, George Dunn's fiancée, has been charged with arson for fraudulent purpose, conspiracy and arson — damage to property in connection with the fire, Winnipeg police announced Thursday.

'Bad decision'

Suzanne Eckstein, seen in an interview the day after the fire, is charged. ((CBC))

Police spokesman Const. Jason Michalyshen said manslaughter charges have not been laid because of what investigators believe were the nature and intent of the fire, which he characterized as "one bad decision and really, a really bad outcome."

Michalyshen said the investigation continues and he did not rule out more charges being laid in the future.

Eckstein was arrested in Campbellton, N.B., and is in custody at the Provincial Remand Centre in Manitoba.

The day after the fire, Eckstein, 42, told CBC News she thought her home had been the target of a firebombing by someone they knew. She said she had been questioned by police.

" 'We have to ask you, we wouldn't be doing our jobs if we didn't: Did you have anything to do with the fire?' " she said police had asked.

"How do you say something like that to somebody who's looking at a dead kid? We had to phone that child's parents."

'It's sick': father

The Dunn brothers' parents live in Squaw Cap in northern New Brunswick.

Their father, Sterling Dunn, said Thursday he was stunned to learn of the charges against his brother's fiancée, whom he met for the first time when she came to New Brunswick to attend his son's funeral.

She was arrested before the service, Dunn said.

"No, she was arrested right in my yard. They just pulled in here, and the cops pulled in behind them," he said.

"We were shocked and surprised ourselves. I want justice for my young fella."

The family is struggling to deal with Ken's death, he said.

"It's shocking to our system to believe that this can happen to us," he said. "It's sick. Your stomach is just in knots."